Safmarine MD, Safren CEO Step Down
South Africa's Safmarine Container Lines reported that its Managing Director and Safren Chief Executive Tony Farr had stepped down. Moeller, which owns the world's leading container shipping company Maersk, acquired Safmarine's container shipping assets in February for $240 million cash plus the assumption of $115 million debts.
Safmarine, Golden Ocean Avoid Court Fight
South African Marine Corp Ltd. (Safmarine) said that a court bid by another firm seeking its liquidation had been withdrawn and that the company would continue with business as usual. The court application was lodged by Liberian-registered charter firm Golden Ocean to the Cape High Court in June, arguing that Safmarine had stripped itself of income-earning assets in a wider group restructuring. Golden Ocean claimed the restructuring move by Safmarine - a ship owner and operator - would make it impossible for the group to meet its current charter obligations. "Golden Ocean has withdrawn the application because they believe that the balance sheet of Safmarine is now strong enough," Jan Rabie, Safmarine executive director said.